This invention relates, in general, to the field of window treatments, and, more particularly to a novel construction for a reversible arch-shaped window treatment for use in placement on a wall above a window or directly over a similarly shaped window.
Various devices have been known for decorating the wall space above a window. For example, cornices, and valances are conventionally used. By contrast, the present invention relates to the specific apparatus and method for constructing same, of an arched or sunburst shaped window treatment as generally illustrated in U.S. design application Ser. No. 07/448,587, filed Dec. 7, 1989 by Ms. Nadine G. Donahue, the inventor herein.
Previously, arch-shaped window treatments have suffered from several limitations. Ordinarily, a great deal of fabric was wasted because the window treatment was formed by draping and attaching the fabric over a curved rod, wadding the excess at the base of the apparatus and tying same with a cord prior to cutting the fabric. If preferred, an excess of fabric sufficient from which to form a decorative center piece was left. Centering and forming the decoration at the base of the window treatment required a certain amount of skill on the part of the laborer.
Once formed, the conventional window treatment presented problems in that the corners of the rods would sometimes became exposed as a result of the fabric slipping therefrom. Moreover, after a period of use, the exposed surface of the fabric would necessarily become dusty and soiled, requiring removal from the rod and laundering or replacement of the entire window treatment. Also, it has been difficult to mount known window treatments on a wall in such a manner that the fabric position on the rod is not disturbed and so that the window treatment may be easily and quickly mounted, removed or replaced.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arch-shaped window treatment which may be formed to a preselected size, using a minimum amount of fabric.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a window treatment having the feature stated which is provided with a decorative attachment at the center base thereof which may be positioned simply and accurately with a minimum amount of training required for the manufacturer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a window treatment having the features stated which is reversible and which may be easily and quickly mounted on a wall and removed therefrom for remounting.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a window treatment having the features stated which is capable of being mounted without a substantial disturbance of the positioning of the fabric thereon.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a window treatment having the features stated which is capable of being provided in a variety of sizes and shapes of arch.
In furtherance of these objects, the present invention is, briefly, a window treatment consisting of a frame apparatus and a flexible material construction mounted thereon. The frame apparatus has a curved, semi-rigid upper portion having first and second ends and forms an arch therebetween. A lower elongated frame piece has first and second ends and extends therebetween. The frame also has means for connecting the first and second curved semi-rigid portion ends to the first and second lower elongated piece ends, respectively. The flexible material construction has a front and a back, and a curved upper edge having first and second ends extends therebetween. An elongated lower edge of the flexible material construction has first and second ends extending therebetween, the first and second ends of the curved upper edge intersecting the first and second ends of the elongated lower edge, respectively. A body portion extends between the upper curved and lower elongated edges and has a gathered focus formed centrally along the elongated lower edge. A decorative piece is disposed centrally along the elongated lower edge and outward thereof and has a size and shape such as to be capable of concealing the gathered focus of the flexible material construction body portion. The above construction thus provides an arch-shaped window treatment having a fan-like appearance.
Also in furtherance of these objects, the flexible material construction of the new window treatment has a curved upper edge which includes a hem formed longitudinally thereon for housing the semi-rigid, curved frame portion. A cord having a length less than that of the lower elongated edge of the flexible material construction is included for the gathering thereof. The lower elongated edge includes a hem formed longitudinally thereon for housing the cord and the flexible material construction also has opposing ends provided with hems for passage therethrough of the lower elongated frame piece of the window treatment frame so as to mount a flexible material construction thereon.
Elbow joints make up the means for detachably connecting the first and second semi-rigid curved portion ends to the first and second lower elongated piece ends, respectively. Protective sleeves mounted circumferentially upon each of the first and second ends of the lower elongated piece and the first and second ends of the curved rigid upper portion of the frame apparatus prevent snagging of the flexible material portion as it is mounted on the frame.
The decorative portion of the flexible material construction is of a rosette form having folds. The folds may be pressed into sharp pleats.
The lower elongated piece of the frame apparatus defines a plurality of separated holes substantially midway along a central longitudinal axis thereof.
Also in furtherance of the above objects, the window treatment is reversible, the front and back thereof being substantially identical; the flexible material construction having a front and back which are substantially identical and the decorative portion is disposed so as to conceal the gathered focus of the flexible material construction from view from both the front and back of the window treatment.
The decorative piece also includes a gathered point formed midway along the diameter thereof and the gathered point may be concealed from view from both sides of the window treatment by applying a flexible material tab outward of the decorative piece, over the gathered point on both the front and back of the window treatment and attaching a button at each of two opposing ends of the tab.
Also in furtherence of these objects, the method for producing the new arch-shaped window treatment includes cutting a one-piece longitudinal blank of flexible material to a predetermined size such that said blank has front and back sides and is provided with a curved, upper longitudinal edge, a lower longitudinal edge and two opposing end edges of equal length formed perpendicular to said lower longitudinal edge at opposing ends thereof and extending to opposing ends of the curved upper edge. A hem is formed in the lower longitudinal edge of the blank, the hem being of such width as to permit passage therethrough of a cord. A hem is also formed in the curved, upper longitudinal edge of the flexible material blank of such width as to accommodate passage therethrough of a frame upper curved portion. Another hem is formed at each end edge of the blank, of such width as to accommodate the passage therethrough of a frame elongated portion. Entrance sites are formed in the curved upper longitudinal edge hem and the lower longitudinal edge hem, for passage therethrough of window treatment frame pieces and a gathering cord, respectively. The flexible material blank is mounted upon a window treatment frame having a semi-rigid, upper curved portion and a lower elongated piece. The first and second ends of the curved frame portion are connected to the first and second ends of the lower elongated piece, respectively.
Then the entrance sites in the curved upper longitudinal edge hem are closed for a neat appearance and the excess flexible material is gathered substantially centrally along the frame elongated portion by inserting a cord shorter than the length of the lower elongated edge hem into an entrance site formed therein through the hem, and pulling on opposing ends of the cord. The cord is then tied so as to maintain the gathered portion of the flexible material substantially at the center of the lower elongated frame piece. Then a decorative piece is applied so as to shield from view the lower elongated frame piece, the tied cord and the lower hem gathered thereon. The window treatment is then on a wall in such manner that it is easily removed.
Still in furtherance of the above objects, the new window treatment is formed, briefly, by a method including forming entrance sites in the upper longitudinal hem and the lower elongated hem substantially adjacent to opposing ends thereof and mounting the flexible material blank upon a window treatment frame having an arched portion and a lower elongated piece. The arched portion of the frame and the lower elongated piece of the frame are consecutively inserted through the entrance sites in the upper longitudinal edge hem and connected at opposing ends thereof so as to be detachable, by inserting arms of elbow joints into the respective ends of corresponding frame parts. Thus, each straight end edge of the blank is mounted on the lower elongated piece of the frame and the curved frame portion is retained in the hem formed in the curved upper longitudinal edge of the window treatment blank. The entrance sites are closed by placement of closely defined stitches into the fabric material construction so that the finished window treatment has a neat appearance. The gathered excess flexible material is maintained in a focus by passing opposing ends of the cord through holes defined in the straight elongated piece and a knot is formed from the cord ends.
The decorative piece is formed briefly from flexible material by performing the following steps:
cutting a rectangular decorative piece blank of a predetermined size from flexible material and folding the decorative piece blank in half along a central lengthwise axis thereof, such that the first and second longitudinal edges meet at corresponding points along the respective lengths thereof. The first and second longitudinal edges are then connected along the lengths thereof and folds are formed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the folded decorative piece blank along the entire length thereof the folded decorative piece blank is turned so that the first end meets the second end and a substantially circular planar shape is formed by the blank and a hem is formed in the lower longitudinal edge of the blank, the hem being of such width as to permit passage therethrough of a cord. A hem is formed in the curved, upper longitudinal edge of the flexible material blank; the curved, upper longitudinal edge hem being of such width as to accommodate passage there through of a frame curved portion. A hem is formed at each end edge of the blank of such width as to accommodate the passage therethrough of a frame straight elongated portion. Entrance sites are formed in the upper longitudinal edge hem and the lower elongated hem, for passage therethrough of window treatment frame pieces and a gathering cord, respectively. The flexible material blank is mounted upon a window treatment frame having an arched portion and a straight elongated portion. Then the respective first and second ends of the curved frame portion and the elongated frame piece are connected and the entrance sites are closed. Excess flexible material is gathered substantially centrally along the elongated frame piece by inserting a cord shorter than the length of the hem formed in the lower longitudinal edge of the blank into and through said hem and pulling on opposing ends of the cord. The cord is tied so as to maintain the gathered portion of the flexible material substantially at the center of the elongated frame piece.
Also in furtherance of the above objects, the window treatment is formed so as to have a substantially identical front side and back side, so as to be reversible, by cutting the one-piece longitudinal blank from flexible material which has front and back sides which are substantially identical. Also, the folded decorative piece is placed outward of and around the lower elongated frame piece such that it and the tied cord and lower hem gathered thereon are hidden from view from either side of the window treatment by one of the decorative piece halves. The window treatment is then mounted on a wall so that it is easily removed and reversed.
Also the folds of the decorative piece are attached to the window treatment by stitching each fold to the flexible material body. A gathered point is formed on the decorative piece by the folding, turning and further folding thereof and is covered from view by applying thereover a tab of flexible material outward of and around the decorative piece and attaching a button to each end of the tab such that the window treatment appears to be substantially identical from both front and back sides thereof and thus is reversible.
Moreover, the folds of the decorative piece blank are pressed so as to form sharp pleats perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the folded decorative piece blank. Thus forming a circular planar shape which is turned to provide a rosette appearance. The further folding thereof into a semi-circle causes the decorative piece to acquire a sunburst appearance with the pleats radiating outward from the gathered point. The window treatment is mounted on a wall by replacement of chips thereon such as the window treatment may be simply slipped between the arms of the clips and easily removed therefrom for reversing or replacement without the use of tools.